Case Study
How ART Security Strengthened Its Monitoring Operations and Expanded Its Services
How Next Step helped ART modernise its infrastructure, integrate additional monitoring services and support continued growth.
ART Security is a 100% Australian, family-owned national business based in Victoria, providing around-the-clock services from its ASIAL Grade A1 monitoring centre in Melbourne.
An upcoming infrastructure upgrade and the approaching end of support for its SIMS alarm automation platform prompted ART to review its technology and support arrangements.
Next Step worked with ART to overhaul its monitoring and corporate infrastructure, support a time-critical service expansion and help transition its existing monitoring lines to Patriot.
Read how ART combined its monitoring expertise with Next Step’s specialist technical support to strengthen its operations, maintain demanding standards and develop new services.
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“We wouldn’t have been able to expand into certain markets without Next Step.”
Emma Slater
ART Security
Explore How Next Step Supported ART Security’s Monitoring Operations
The Situation
An upcoming monitoring centre upgrade prompted ART to review its infrastructure and ongoing support. Its existing contractor recognised that the scope required a broader support capability, and ART wanted a partner with monitoring industry experience.
The Need for Change
ART needed to maintain its ASIAL Grade A1 certification, support Type 1A monitoring and prepare for SIMS reaching end of support. Any platform change would require infrastructure support, operator training and coordination across a 24/7 operation.
Enter Next Step
Next Step overhauled ART’s monitoring and corporate infrastructure, virtualising systems and consolidating hardware. Emma Slater estimates that the monitoring centre’s physical hardware footprint reduced from four racks to approximately two.
Supporting a Time-Critical Service Expansion
In January 2026, ART needed to bring a partner’s incoming monitoring services into its Grade A1 centre under a tight deadline. Next Step virtualised and hosted the incoming infrastructure, with Emma recalling the technical work taking approximately two weeks.
Transitioning from SIMS to Patriot
The incoming services used Patriot, while ART’s existing customer base used SIMS. In August 2026, ART moved the majority of its existing SIMS monitoring lines into Patriot, with further integration and infrastructure consolidation still underway.
Maintaining Monitoring Standards
Next Step supports ART’s grading requirements through technical documentation, network diagrams and infrastructure information for assessment consultants. The teams also work together on regular patching, testing and monthly business continuity testing.
Supporting a 24/7 Operation
ART’s monitoring services run overnight, on weekends and during public holidays. Next Step provides specialist assistance during overnight incidents, telecommunications outages and receiver problems, helping ART investigate issues and coordinate a response.
Resolving Specialist Monitoring Issues
Next Step helps ART investigate how infrastructure, communications and monitoring applications work together. In one example, the team identified a receiver software flaw and prepared technical evidence that enabled the supplier to address it through a patch.
Developing New Monitoring Capabilities
ART and Next Step have worked together on virtualising hardware-based receivers and developing receivers for ART’s lone worker monitoring service. ART also draws on the team’s expertise when assessing replacement equipment and new opportunities in electronic security.
The Outcomes
ART has modernised its infrastructure, brought additional monitoring services into its centre and progressed its transition to Patriot. Ongoing technical support, documentation and development expertise help ART maintain its standards and assess future service opportunities.
Ready to Strengthen Your Monitoring Infrastructure?
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